Recent ESL Articlesfrom the Blog

Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned pro,
check out the ESL articles on our blog.

The International English Language Testing System (also known as the IELTS) is recognized worldwide as the most popular English proficiency exam. Millions of people from around the globe take the IELTS every year, and unfortunately, many of them do not pass.
There is one trait, however, that everyone who successfully completes the IELTS has in common. Its something you might not expect.
Our friends at Magoosh describe it in one word: confidence. Self confidence is key to passing the …
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The #1 Tip on How to Ace the IELTS

The International English Language Testing System (also known as the IELTS) is recognized worldwide as the most popular English proficiency exam. Millions of people from around the globe take the IELTS every year, and unfortunately, many of them do not pass.
There is one trait, however, that everyone who successfully completes the IELTS has in common. Its something you might not expect.
Our friends at Magoosh describe it in one word: confidence. Self confidence is key to passing the

ESL Learners: Are You Making These 21 Common Mistakes?

Sometimes people who have learned English as a second language confuse some basic English words -- there are certainly some tricky ones! Here are the words ESL learners misuse the most:
Them, Those, and These
"Them" is a pronoun that stands in the place of a plural noun. It is commonly used as the subject of a sentence, as in: Did you see them? or Have you seen the scissors? I used them to cut the labels off my T-shirts; now I cant find them.
"Those" indicates a group that is distant from

Tips for Learning English in the U.S. | A Glimpse Through the Eyes of a Recent Immigrant

For immigrants new to the U.S., the challenge of learning a second language can be tough. With so many options available, what's the best way to learn English? Read on as San Jose, CA tutor Gina C. shares her tips...
I recently interviewed Francy M., who arrived from Columbia seven months ago. Francy started studying English in her home country in high school, but only a little; now, she knows she needs to learn to speak and understand English if she hopes to work in the U.S., so she made tha

The Simple Secret for How to Improve Your English Accent

In this guide, well dive into the different methods of listening and how to improve your English accent. English is currently the most studied language in the world, with an estimated 1 billion people learning it.
Because English is the international language of business, that number is only expected to grow.
If youre working to perfect your English skills, then you know how hard it is to learn the American English accent. You might use proper grammar and sentence structure, but st

The 6 Toughest English Writing Rules - and How to Remember Them

In this article, online tutor Natalie S. shares her best tricks for remembering some of the toughest English writing rules
Grammar isnt for everyone. In fact, most people tend to forget the majority of their grammar and punctuation lessons by the time they graduate from high school. Even though grammar tends to be a boring subject to learn about, its still important to understand and utilize grammar and punctuation rules correctly. These seemingly small details make a big difference in the